Price: $399.99
Access: 30 Months
Credit: 100 Hours of AAPA Category 1 CME
Deliverables: Over 1,000 practice questions, high-yield clinical content, and optional gift card add-ons.
Choosing between the traditional PANRE and the PANRE-LA (Longitudinal Assessment) is a critical decision for every Physician Assistant approaching their recertification window. Both paths aim to ensure clinical competency, yet they require vastly different preparation strategies and time commitments. Whether you prefer a single-day, high-stakes exam or a multi-year, open-book assessment, your review materials must align with the NCCPA Blueprint to ensure success.
At CME Review Courses, we provide the resources needed for both paths. Our PANRE Review Course (100 Hours of Category 1 AAPA CME) is designed to provide the clinical depth required for the traditional exam while offering the flexible, resource-heavy content ideal for the PANRE-LA's open-book format.
The Traditional PANRE: A High-Stakes Sprint
The traditional PANRE remains the standard for PAs who prefer to "get it over with." This is a proctored, closed-book exam administered at a Pearson VUE testing center.
Structure and Constraints
The exam consists of 240 multiple-choice questions divided into four blocks of 60 questions. You are given 60 minutes per block, which averages out to 60 seconds per question. This format tests not only your medical knowledge but also your ability to manage time under pressure.
Review Strategy
Because the traditional PANRE is closed-book, your review strategy must focus on active recall and pattern recognition. You cannot rely on external resources during the test. You must memorize the "classic" presentations of diseases listed in the NCCPA Blueprint.
Our course includes two dedicated practice exams to help you simulate this environment:
The PANRE-LA: A Marathon of Excellence
The PANRE-LA is a longitudinal assessment that allows PAs to complete their recertification over three years. It is designed to move away from the "cram and forget" model, focusing instead on continuous learning and knowledge retention.
Structure and Constraints
Participants receive 25 questions every quarter for up to 12 quarters. You have 5 minutes to answer each question, and the assessment is entirely open-book. You can use any printed or online resource (excluding consultation with other individuals). NCCPA uses your best 8 quarters to determine your final score.
Review Strategy
The challenge of the PANRE-LA isn't time pressure; it’s the breadth of the NCCPA Blueprint and the need for high-quality reference material. Since you have 5 minutes per question, having an organized, digital-friendly review course allows you to quickly verify the standard of care, diagnostic criteria, or first-line treatments.
Choosing the Right Path for 2026
If you are due for recertification in 2026, your options depend on your previous enrollment. The application window for the current PANRE-LA cycle closed in late 2022. If you are currently in the PANRE-LA process, you should be focused on finishing your final quarters strong. If you did not enroll in the longitudinal option, you must take the traditional PANRE.
Both paths cover the same core content areas, including Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, and Musculoskeletal systems. Regardless of the format, your preparation must be rigorous.
Maximizing Your CME Budget with Gift Card Add-ons
We understand that PAs often have a dedicated CME allowance from their employers. To help you further enrich your education, we offer CME with Amazon and Apple Gift Card add-ons.
You can add a gift card ranging from $100 to $1500 to your purchase. This allows you to use your CME funds to acquire the technology or reference books you need to stay current in your practice. For example, the 100-hour PANRE Review Course can be bundled with a gift card to help you purchase a new iPad for clinical rotations or a subscription to a medical database.
Clinical Assessment: Practice Questions
The following questions are modeled after the NCCPA Blueprint and represent the level of detail required for both the PANRE and PANRE-LA.
Question 1: Cardiology
Your patient is a 68-year-old male with a history of hypertension and tobacco use who presents to the emergency department with acute onset of substernal chest pain. The pain radiates to his left jaw and is associated with diaphoresis. His vitals are: BP 154/92, HR 88, RR 20, SaO2 96% on room air. An EKG is performed.
Which of the following EKG findings is most indicative of an acute posterior wall myocardial infarction?
A. ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF
B. ST-segment depression in leads V1 through V3 with tall R waves
C. Left bundle branch block of unknown age
D. ST-segment elevation in leads V1 through V4
Correct Answer: B. ST-segment depression in leads V1 through V3 with tall R waves.
Explanation: In a posterior wall MI, the EKG changes in the precordial leads (V1-V3) are "mirror images" of what would be seen with a standard lead over the posterior wall. This includes ST-segment depression (mirroring elevation), tall R waves (mirroring Q waves), and upright T waves. Lead II, III, and aVF (Choice A) indicate an inferior wall MI. Choice D indicates an anterior wall MI.
Question 2: Pulmonology
Your patient is a 24-year-old female with a history of asthma who presents with increased shortness of breath and wheezing over the last 48 hours. She has been using her albuterol inhaler every 3 hours with minimal relief. On physical exam, she is using accessory muscles to breathe. Her peak expiratory flow (PEF) is 55% of her personal best.
According to the current guidelines, what is the most appropriate next step in management?
A. Prescribe a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) for daily use
B. Administer oral corticosteroids and escalate SABA frequency
C. Discharge home with a 2-week course of inhaled corticosteroids
D. Order a CT pulmonary angiogram to rule out pulmonary embolism
Correct Answer: B. Administer oral corticosteroids and escalate SABA frequency.
Explanation: This patient is experiencing a moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation (PEF <60% and accessory muscle use). Systemic corticosteroids are indicated to reduce airway inflammation and prevent relapse. LABAs (Choice A) should never be used as monotherapy and are not for acute exacerbations. CTPA (Choice D) is not indicated unless there is high clinical suspicion for PE, which is not suggested by this classic asthma presentation.
Question 3: Infectious Disease
Your patient is a 32-year-old male presenting with a 3-day history of fever, chills, and a productive cough with "rust-colored" sputum. On auscultation, you hear crackles in the right lower lobe. A chest X-ray confirms right lower lobe consolidation.
What is the most likely causative organism for this patient's presentation?
A. Mycoplasma pneumoniae
B. Streptococcus pneumoniae
C. Klebsiella pneumoniae
D. Legionella pneumophila
Correct Answer: B. Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Explanation: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and is classically associated with "rust-colored" sputum and lobar consolidation. Klebsiella (Choice C) is more common in patients with alcohol use disorder and is associated with "currant jelly" sputum. Mycoplasma (Choice A) typically presents as "walking pneumonia" with more diffuse infiltrates.
Final Recommendations
Choosing between the PANRE and PANRE-LA depends on your personal learning style and the flexibility of your schedule. However, your review course remains the constant factor in your success.
The PANRE Review Course (100 Hours of Category 1 AAPA CME) provides the rigorous clinical vignettes and comprehensive content coverage required to master the NCCPA Blueprint. By choosing a package with an Amazon or Apple gift card add-on, you can ensure your CME money is working for you both in the classroom and in your clinical practice.